How to Promote Rule of Law in China: Comments on the Regulations on the Principal Officials in Charge of the Party and the Government to Fulfill the Responsibility to Promote Rule of Law (在中国如何推动法治建设?兼评《党政主要负责人履行推进法治建设第一责任人职责规定》)

Abstract

English Abstract: As a part of governance system in China, the central-government ues double model of governance include rule of law and rule by index, for consolidate the authority and legitimacy of the government. Index-mechanism focus on the result but ignore the standard procedures, in contrast, law-mechanism focus on the standard procedures but lack incentive. When being properly used, the double model of governance is incentive compatibility constraint, for the rule of law can establish the bottom line of the government behavior, and the rule by index can stimulate the officials by performance measurement and political tournaments. Now, the central-government use performance measurement to promote administration according to law. However, the index-mechanism may crowd out the authority of the rule of law. We need coordinate the index-mechanism and the law-mechanism.

Chinese Abstract: 指标考核与依法行政都是控制地方政府的治理机制，均为我国《宪法》所认可。指标控制重结果而轻过程，依法行政只能规范过程而缺乏激励功能。因此，单独使用任一治理手段，都无法有效解决“两个积极性”问题。两种手段并行使用得当，才是激励约束相容的治理机制，远比单一治理模式更为有效。何者占优取决于政治交易成本。实证分析表明，指标控制与依法行政具有互补关系，但互补性开始降低。因指标治理强化中央权威而弱化法治权威，指标控制与依法行政之间有冲突的可能，故而需要区分依法行政和指标考核的不同功能、设计科学的国家治理体系。

Note: Downloadable document available in Chinese.

Keywords: Local Government; Political Transaction Cost; Administration According to Law; Performance Measurement; Double Model of Governance